US1283347A - Spreadable stopper. - Google Patents

Description

T. C. SPELLING. SPREADABLE STOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22. I911.

' 1,283,347.. Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

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THOMAS (J. SPELLING, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. 2a, 1918.

Application filed January 22, 1917. Serial No. 143,779.

To all whom, it mag concern i Be it known that I, THOMAS C. SPELLING, citizen of the United States, and resident of city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Spreadable Stoppers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stoppers for liquid containers, and has for a purpose the provision of a' stopper carrying a puller and other useful adjuncts thecombination and con ction of which will not only seal and lock the bottle when in place and prevent subsequent fraudulent use of it, by substitution or otherwise, but also meet the objection to composition stoppers that they contact with liquids, causing them to swell and automatically come out. No stopper as thus equipped can automatically come out, and any part that liquid can reach may swell ever so much without prejudicial effect.

At the outset, it should be stated, though it is almost self-evident, that the insertion of the device in a stopper after the latter has been formed is not contemplated. The

stopper will be formed around the device, in the making of the stopper. The theory of the invention is that a bottle formed with an opening, however narrow, in itsshell cannot be reused without a stopper-uniquely formed to close it. I provide such a bottle, and then provide a stopper of novel form and function with which the opening can be sealed until the time arrives for using the contents,

and for then opening it by the simple act of withdrawing the stopper, whereby the stopper is rendered useless for the same purose.

p To facilitate a full and complete understanding of the invention, I will illustrate the preferred embodiment of the same, and

the details, arrangement and combination of parts will be learned upon reading the specific description hereinafter set forth in connection with the accompanying drawings,

forming a part hereof, wherein said preperspective view of the stem member and its parts. Fig. 4. is a Perspeetiveview of the spread members and of an adjacent portion of the neck exhibiting the action of the parts upon application of initial pull force. Fig. 5 is a top view of the cap member.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, wherein' like reference figures represent corresponding parts in the several views, 1 represents a stopper of conventional form, made of any suitable material, which mate rial, for present purposes, must be elastic or yieldable under pressure; 2 represents the neck of a bottle of suitable form, 3 the cap member, l the stem, and 5 the jaws.

The stem, which has vertical movement in the stopper, has the ring or shield 6, the shoulder 7, the spreader 8, and the bifurcated crossbar 9, divided to form two branches or prongs, 10 and 11. The aws 12, are identical in form and function, and have the shallow smooth trenches, made in the inner sides, 13, the obtuse angles 14, the interior shoulders 15, the exterior shoulders 16, and the rounded shoulders 17. The bottle neck has the openings 18, in the curved portion 19, and the rim 20. The cap has the two sections 21, the overlap appearing along the lines 22, the apex or roof 23, wherein the sections are firmly united to each other but loosely'hold said stem, the aperture 24, in the apex, the curves 25, and the shelves 526 and 27. The cap surrounds the top of the stopper and has rotary movement around the stem and rim.

The substance of the stopper adjacent to and outside the rounded shoulders, in place, constitutes a relatively thin partition between the latter aud the openings in the neck of the bottle. The openings are elliptical and small, the area of each lying in small part, within reach of any stopper not equipped as here shown, the principal areas, suflicie'nt in extent to cause a leakage of any liquid in the bottle if left open, lying beyondpossibility of being covered, for sea'ling purposes, by anormal stopper vertically related. The' erossbaris bifurcated to form the prongs 10 and 11 from a point near the stern on two sides, the prongs extending therefrom horizontally, prong 10 being longer than prong 11, the shorter above the longer. The crossbar may rest on top of the stopper, or between it and the apex or roof, previous to the application of preliminary pull force. The cap is designed to extend sufficiently above the stopper to allow the movements of the parts of the handle hereinafter described. The shoulder of the stem is above the apex. T he two sections of the cap are left with edges overlapping but dis shelves, are mere shoulders of the cap resting. on the shell of the neck of the bottle, at itsmouth. The term curves designates the gripping extensions having resilient frictional engagement under and on the rim.

After preliminary emplacement, as seen in Fig. 1, force is applied to the stem at the ring, and the force and resulting movement are continued until the short prongs emerge above the apex and the long prongs contact with its under surface. The distance traveled by the stem in this transposition measures that traveled by the spreader to its secondary points of contact in the trenches at the obtuse angles, 14:. The effect of such up ward movement of the spreader is the outward propulsion of the rounded shoulders ofthe jaws against the adjacent relatively thin wall of the stopper and extrusion of the latter into the openings, 18, in the shell of the bottle. The forces of rebound would cause the lower portions of the jaws to resume their original positions and relations, and the portions of the stoppers so extruded to resume their original positions and relations in the absence of a preventive. Such preventive is provided by revolvingthe cap around the stem and rim until, upon re moval of the pull force at the ring, the short prongs, 11, contact with and rest upon and across the upper surface of the apex. All the parts retain thesepositions and relations until the time arrives for extracting the stopper. Then after releasing the cap from its resilient grip on the rim, force is again applicdto the stem at'the ring. The first result is that the spreader, 8, is moved upwardly and its corners are moved to anew point of contact under and against said interior shoulders, 15. The pointof pressure being thus shifted, the rounded shoulders and adjacent portions of the jaws rebound downwardly, inwardly and toward each other, restoring the exterior of the stopper so that it becomes normal and vertical. If this result he not fully consummatedby this movement, it results from a continuance of the pull force, which spreads apart the upper portions, compacts upper and adjacent stopper substance, causes the exterior shoulders, 16, to deeply indent the stopper substance, and moves the stopper upi wardly.

If theactions of the various parts he not already clear, I will make them clear by a few additional words. Uponthe application of said preliminary force to effect in termedia'te emplacement, the stem moves upwardly, and its adjunct, the spreader,.per-

exterior of the latter into said openings in the neck of the bottle shell, whereupon the sharp edges surrounding theopenings indent the substance of the stopper, producing thorough-closure, as seen at 28.

The puller cannot be used to perform the same oilice again, in. connection with any bottle, other than one of the same construction. Not only will thef aws have col lapsed and displacement of important parts have occurred, but the substance of the stopper will-have been torn and mutilated internally at and near 29-. The whole area of the opening on the curve of the bottle neck is closed by the action of the parts, as above shown, and without the use of this device, or of some other equally effective in connection therewith, the bottle is thereafter practically unusable, because no ordinary,

stem could be temporarily bound together and held in place with gummed paper, elastic bands, or with similar materials, or with felt or lint for packingbetween lower ends, none of which it would ever be necessary to remove from the interior of the stopper.

During the process of moulding or other-- wise forming the stopper, the stem, minus the cap, would be mechanically held by impingement of the ring. The loosely fitting correlated pins 30 and holes 31 will preserve lateral alinement of the jaws. The presence of light packing is indicated by lVhile I have herein set forth special embodiments of theinvention, it is with the realization,as will appear to persons skilled in the art to which it appertains, that it is capable of embodiment in other forms and devices, as may be in accordance with the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A bottle closure comprising a bottle having an elliptical opening on each of two opposite sides, extending from a point a little above, to a point short space below, the junction of neck and body, said bottle provided with a stopper therein of conventional form'composed of yieldable and flexiblemfateriahand means within and on the stopper 'foriextracting it and for sealing the closure comprising a bottle having an elliptlcal opening on each of two 'oppositesides, extending from a point a top for'manipulating it, an inverted triangular formation on its lower end for spreading apart, laterally and upwardly, complemental round shouldered jaws, one placed on each side of it, in its upward movement, upon the application of pull force to the stem, said rounded shoulders being adapted to press outwardly and upwardly adjacent portions of the stopper substance enveloping 20 them and impacting said portions into said elliptical openings, substantially as described.

3. A bottle closure comprising a bottle having an elliptical opening on each of two opposite sides, extending from a point a little above, to a point a short space below, the junction of neck and body, said bottle provided with a stopper therein of conventional form and composed of yieldable and flexible material for extracting it, a registering cap member, and means within and on the stopper for sealing the side openings by distending small areas of it outwardly and impacting them Within said openings; said cap member formed with a slotted upper portion adapted to regulate and limit the vertical movement of a stem in the stopper used in connection therewith, the stem carrying within the cap a crossbar bifurcated to form two prongs of unequal length, the shorter above the longer, the shorter passable through and the longer impassable through the slotbecause of its increased length, the shorter designed and adapted to rest across the slot and on the cap and support the stem, the longer designed and adapted to rest under the upper shell of the cap and in contact with it; said cap also having rotary movement on and about a rim formed on the neck of the bottle and, by combination of such rotary movement and eoaction of the prongs, measuring, limiting and registering the vertical movement of the stem in the performance of its functions, substantially as described.

4. A bottle closure comprising a bottle having an elliptical opening on each of two opposite sides, extending from a point a little above, to a point a short space below, the junction of neck and body, said bottle provided with a stopper therein of conventional form composed of yieldable and flexible material for extracting it, and means within and on the stopper for sealing the openings by distending small areas of it outwardly and impacting them within said openings, said distending means consisting of a stem having a ring at the top for manipulating it, an inverted triangular formation on its lower end, adapted, in its upward movement, to spread apart and outwardly a round shouldered jaw placed on each side of it, upon the application of pull force to the stem, said rounded shoulders, as a result of the upward movement pressing outwardly and upwardly adjacent portions of the stopper substanceenveloping them and impacting said portions into the side openings, said jaws being in all respects complemental, each having exterior relatively sharp edged shoulders above the rounded shoulders, adapted to engage, indent and compact against the interior of the neck, the substance of the stopper, a trench extending upwardly from end to end, to guide the vertical movement of said triangular formation, each having also corresponding transverse reeesses in the trenches fordividing the outward pressure on the jaws into degrees intensity and extent, at" separate stages of upward movement of the inverted triangular formation, substantially as described.

5. In a bottle closure, the combination of a bottle having an elliptical opening on each of two opposite sides, extending from a point a little above, to a point a short space below, the junction of the neck and body, with a stopper adapted to be fitted into the mouth and neck of the bottle, the stopper of conventional form and composed of yield able and flexible material; said stopper carrying pull means and in connection and for coasting therewith a member adapted to seal the side openings by spreading and distending the substance of the stopper on two opposite sides, and press and impact it laterally and upwardly into the openings; said spreading and dis-tending member con sisting of a stem having a ring at the top for manipulatingit, an inverted triangular formation on its lower end adapted, in its upward movement, to spread apart and outwardly a round shouldered jaw placed on each side of it, upon the application of pull force to the stem, said rounded shoulders, as a result of the upward movement pressing outwardly and upwardly adjacent portions of the stopper substance enveloping them and impacting said portions into the openings, said jaws being in all respects complemental, each having exterior relatively sharp edged shoulders above the rounded shoulders, adapted to engage, indent and compact, against the interior of the neck, the sub stance of the stopper, a trench extending upwardly from end to end, to guide the vertical movement of said triangular formation, each having also corresponding transverse recesses in the trenches for dividing the outward pressure on the jaws'into degrees of intensity and extent, at separate stages of upward movement of the inverted triangular formation, substantially as described.

6. In a bottle closure, the combination of a bottle having an elliptical opening on each of two opposite sides, extending from a point a little above to a point a short space below, the junction of the neck and body, and a stopper adapted to be fitted into the mouth and neck of the bottle, the stopper of conventional form and composed of yieldable and flexible material, said stopper carrying pull means, and in connection and for coaction therewith a member adapted to seal;the openings by spreading and distending the substance of the stopper 011 two oppositeisides and pressing and impacting it laterally and upwardly into the side openings, with a registering cap member; said cap member being divided into two equal sections united about a transverse slot in its apex, each section constituting an extension formed adaptably to rest on the top of the neck around the mouth and grip a shouldered rim around and about the neck below the mouth and to have rotary movement thereon, said cap being also adapted by said rotary movement, in conjunction with vertical movement of prongs of unequal length, constituting a crossbar on the pull member carried by the stopper, to measure, limit and register the vertical movement of said pull member, substantially as described.

'7. In a bottle closure, a registering cap member divided into two equal sections united about a transverse slot in its apex, each section constituting an extension formed adaptably to rest on the top of the neck around the mouth and grip a shouldered rim around and about the neck below the mouth and to have rotary movement thereon, said cap being also adapted by said rotary movement, in conjunction with vertical movement of prongs of unequallength, constituting a crossbar on the pull member carried by the stopper, to measure, limit and register the vertical movement of said pull member, substantially as described.

8. In a bottle closure, means carried by a stopper for extracting it and for sealing elliptical opcnings'in two opposite sides of the bottle, extending from a point a little above, to apoint a little below, the junction of neck and body; said means consisting of a stem having a ring at the top for manipulating it, an inverted triangular forma tion on its lower end, adapted, in its upward movement, to spread apart and outwardly a round shouldered jaw placed on each side of it, upon the application of pull force to the stem, said-rounded shoulders, as a result of the upward movement pressing outwardly and upwardly adjacent portions of thestopper substance enveloping them and imp acting said portions into the openings, said jaws being in all respectscomplemental, each having exterior relatively sharp edged shoulders above the rounded shoulders, adapted to engage, indent and compact, against the interior of the neck, the substance of the stopper, a trench extending upwardly from end to end, to guide the vertical movement of said triangular formation, each having also corresponding transverse recesses in the trenches for dividing the outward pressure on the jaws into degrees of intensity and extent, at separate stages of upward movement of the inverted triangular formation, substantially as described.

Signed at city of New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 16th day of December A. 'D. 1916. v

THOMAS C. SPELLING.

Witnesses:

PAULINE MARGULIS,

JEAN GREENBERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. r

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